My last week of work at 826NYC involved a lot of organizational planning and execution. 826NYC was planning to host an event thanking each of their volunteers who worked with them throughout the year, and I had to help coordinate logistics and a lot of the set up for it. I also had to help with editing their Review, which is an anthology of work they put together each summer of the amazing pieces of work that their students of all ages have written during workshops. 

When it came to editing the Review pieces, I had to do a whole load of responsibilities related to copywriting, fact-checking, and most importantly green lighting content. Since this is an anthology that's consumed by children, I had to go through a three hour extensive training process on what are the kind of things that 826NYC editors have to keep in mind while reviewing pieces. We aren't allowed to censor the voice or imagination of the child, however, we have to keep in mind that certain sensitive topics or graphic details may be triggering to children, and flag them for further contemplation. Striking a balance between the two is difficult, and is a skill that requires honing. It took me a lot of tries to get the hang of what 826NYC expected, just because tone expectations are a much less obvious thing to interpret. However, I effectively worked through 30+ pieces of student writing that made the Final Cut and got published in their anthology, which I'm very happy about. The exercise allowed me to put myself in the middle of these two parties - publishers and authors - in this very specific context and audience, and think from both perspectives. It was a challenge I enjoyed. 

When it came to the thank-you event, my tasks were more simpler, and something I was used to considering I've organized similar things in college. The main feeling 826NYC wanted to put through was a sense of genuine gratitude and community for each of its selfless volunteers, and I think we succeeded at that. I got to meet so many different people who I didn't necessarily volunteer with, but still worked with in some capacity. I even met a Barnard alumna and we instantly hit it off talking about our college. It was a strong finish to the LiA, showing me the power of interpersonal understanding and relationships in service-related roles, a little bit like the virtual community we have here on the Laidlaw Network.